News Center

Posted on Oct 6, 2014

Nearly three and a half years after breaking ground, Torrance Memorial
Medical Center welcomed employees, volunteers and community members inside
its seven-story, 390,000 square foot Melanie and Richard Lundquist Tower
on Friday, Sept. 19 and 20 for tours and a community celebration. The
"Open House" festivities included a ceremonial dedication and
ribbon cutting, and activities such as face painting, food trucks and
photo booths. The $450 million patient tower is officially scheduled to
open on November 16, when patients will move into the new building.

"This day is cause for celebration, not only for our more than 5,000
employees, volunteers and physicians, but also for the entire South Bay,
who will benefit from the beautiful new healing environment," said
Craig Leach, president and CEO, Torrance Memorial Medical Center. "We
want to express our tremendous gratitude for the continued contributions
of time and money by the community toward the raising of this tower. It
came to fruition with their support."

To date Torrance Memorial has raised more than $130 million toward the
new tower. At last year's Holiday Festival fundraiser, Torrance Memorial
announced a donation of $50 million from Melanie and Richard Lundquist
of Palos Verdes Estates. It was the largest donation in the history of
the non-profit hospital. The tower was since named the Melanie and Richard
Lundquist Tower and was dedicated to the memory of Richard B. Hoffman,
MD, a radiologist and former chief of staff, who dedicated his career
to building the medical center's radiology department.

"The new Lundquist Tower at Torrance Memorial Medical Center is a
cutting-edge addition that addresses the changing health care needs of
the residents of Los Angeles County," said Supervisor Don Knabe,
County of Los Angeles, Fourth District. "While LA County runs one
of the largest health care systems in the nation, we cannot do it alone.
We need partners like Torrance Memorial, which had the vision to create
this incredible facility.

He continued, "I want to personally thank my good friends, Melanie
and Richard Lundquist, who brought this vision to reality through their
time, passion, and financial support. It will truly transform healthcare
delivery for patients in the South Bay and across our region."

The Lundquist Tower, which replaces Torrance Memorial's second facility
built in 1971, features the latest medical technology, more beds and a
modern design. The tower houses 256 private rooms, 18 surgical and interventional
treatment rooms, as well as a basement with a central utility plant and
corridors connecting the existing hospital to the new facility.

When the new tower opens, Torrance Memorial will feature the South Bay's
most advanced Hybrid OR. Nearly double the size of a traditional operating
room, it will offer breakthrough surgical and interventional procedures—sometimes
simultaneously. Like other interventional labs rooms, the Hybrid OR features
sophisticated imaging systems for catheter-based procedures, but also
meets the sterility standards and has the equipment of a traditional operating
room. This will enable providers to perform high-risk, minimally invasive
procedures and switch to open surgery without moving the patient if a
dire complication arises.

The Hybrid OR enables Torrance Memorial to offer minimally invasive surgery
to older patients with complex health problems, who would face difficult
recoveries with open surgery or are not candidates for it. It will be
used to perform a full range of endovascular services including abdominal
aortic aneurysm repair, carotid artery stenting, and transcatheter aortic
valve replacement, known as TAVR.

Designed by HMC Architects and constructed by contractor, McCarthy Building
Companies, Inc., the replacement hospital will serve as the new front
door of the medical center and the centerpiece of the campus. The south
entrance is positioned at the end of what's called the Toyota Plaza,
and leads to the bright and open Vasek Polak Grand Lobby. The indoor-outdoor
Yang Café, the Norris Foundation Gift Shop, admittance services
and the Turpanjian Chapel are all easily accessible on the first floor.

In addition to providing state-of-the-art medical technology, the tower's
patient-centered design addresses the comfort of visiting family members
by incorporating family-friendly lounges and overnight spaces. Gently
curved nurses' stations in the Intensive Care Units allow for better
care and visibility of patient rooms. The Auxiliary Healing Garden, between
the new and existing facility, provides a serene and healing space for
patients, visitors and staff.

Sixteen original installations of art are featured throughout the Lundquist
Tower in a variety of media, sizes, style and color. Curator Cheryl Thiele
worked closely with the artists to ensure that the works "feel like
they were made for the space."

The tower's exterior skin is a combination of metal panel, precast
concrete, plaster and curtain wall. The combination for the tower's
facade responds to the correct solar orientation to reduce energy consumption
and gives the tower a contemporary and elegant aesthetic.